Research Interests

Membrane proteins constitute ~30% of all eukaryotic proteins and play crucial roles in many aspects of cell function. The long-term goal of our research is to understand the mechanism of solute/cation symport. Currently, we are studying bacterial melibiose permease (MelB), a model system, to understand Na+/sugar symport by utilizing an integrated approach, including X-ray crystallography, genetic engineering, and biochemical & biophysical analyses. We are also developing novel techniques for discovery of protein-capture reagents that, like an antibody, bind to a target protein and modulate its function.